Updated 08.13.25
The crust is dates and pecans blended together and pressed into the base of the springform, creating a natural stickiness of the dates binding the pecans into something firm and slightly sweet. The mousse goes on top: dark chocolate melted into water and then whipped over an ice bath until it thickens into something that behaves like cream-based mousse without any of the cream. It sets in the fridge and slices cleanly.
The 6-inch springform makes this a pie for two. The right amount to eat over a few evenings without the richness of a full-sized chocolate pie working against you. Dairy-free and egg-free without tasting like either of those things was a compromise.
Hervé This is a French chemist, holding a doctorate in molecular gastronomy. Molecular gastronomy is a form of food science that explores the underlying science behind cooking. In my humble opinion this a very interesting field. I have always been intrigued by finding out why things happen the way they do.
Want to read his book? This is the title ‘Molecular Gastronomy: Exploring the Science of Flavor‘. A little more lighthearted, but nevertheless answering the why behind the how: The Food Lab, by J. Kenji Lopez-Alt or CookWise by Shirley O. Corriher. You may even like to watch Alton Brown on Food Network. Many years ago, I met Shirley Corriher, during one of the Dietetic Congresses I attended. She was hilarious and inspiring. This cream & egg-free Chocolate Mousse Pie is one of example of applying chemistry knowledge to cooking.
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Key Ingredients in This Recipe
You’ll find the complete list of ingredients and exact quantities in the recipe below.
- Dark chocolate
- Pecans
- Dates
- Last ingredients is water.
How Hervé This applied his scientific logic
The traditional way to make a chocolate mousse, is by whipping cream and egg whites and add that to melted chocolate. Egg yolks are mostly added as well. Like this Chocolate Mousse recipe. By whipping the cream (and the egg whites) you’re introducing air bubbles that are stabilized by protein molecules. At the same time the fat droplets of the cream crystallize because of the low temperature. That’s why it is always recommended to work with cold ingredients and utensils.
In order to create a chocolate mousse without cream and eggs, Hervé This reveals that we need to create an emulsion, based on the chocolate. This chocolate mousse pie is created by mixing chocolate and water!
What? Yes, chocolate and water! I did not believe it either, but it works and you’ll have an amazing and fast result.
How to Make Chocolate Mousse Pie
Step 1 – Make the pecan-date crust by pulsing both in a food processor until it reaches a coarse consistency that will form a ball. If it does not stick together, pulse a few more times.
Step 2 – Grease a 6-inch springform (non-dairy butter if you want to keep it dairy free) (cover the bottom with parchment paper) and press the pecan-date ‘dough’ onto the bottom and against the sides. You will only need to go halfway up the sides.
Place the springform in the fridge.
Step 3 – Heat water in a saucepan and add the chopped dark chocolate. Cook until melted.
Step 4 – Prepare an ice bath by filling a bowl with water and lots of ice cubes. Place a smaller bowl inside the bowl with the water and pour the melted chocolate into the smaller bowl.
Whisk the chocolate by hand until the chocolate thickens. This will take about 15 minutes.
Make sure the ice water does NOT enter the smaller bowl with the chocolate.
Step 5 – Continue the whisking until you have a mousse – a pure chocolate mousse.
Pour the mousse in pecan-date crust, level the top and allow the pie to cool completely.
- Decorate the way you like. With cream (the pie will no longer be dairy free) or with fruit.
Quick Tips
TIP 1 – If the chocolate you use does not contain enough fat and does not become thicker.
- Melt the chocolate mixture again and add some more chocolate and whisk again.
TIP 2 – If the chocolate mixture is not airy enough
- Melt again and add some water and whisk again
TIP 3 – If the chocolate mixture has become grainy
- Melt the mixture and whisk again. Do not add anything, just whisk less long.
Chocolate Mousse Pie
Pin Recipe FacebookIngredients
Pie Crust
- 1 cup dates, pitted
- 1 cup pecans
Chocolate Mousse
- 9 ounces dark chocolate
- 6 ounces water
Decoration – optional
- 9 raspberries
- 9 blackberries
Instructions
- First make the pecan-date crust by pulsing both in a food processor until it reaches a coarse consistency that will form a ball. You can pulse further until the pieces are smaller.
- Grease a 6 inch springform and press the pecan-date 'dough' onto the bottom and against the sides.
- Place in the refrigerator while you make the chocolate mousse.
- Make the chocolate mousse – the Herve This method (Molecular Gastronomy)
- Prepare ice bath by filling a bowl with equal parts of ice cubes and water. Have another bowl ready that will fit into the one with the ice water.
- In a saucepan heat water and finely chopped chocolate over medium-low heat and cook until melted.
- Pour the chocolate into the empty bowl, while in the ice bath, whisk the chocolate by hand until the chocolate thickens into a mousse.
- Transfer the mousse into the pie crust and allow the pie cool completely.
- Serve with cream if you like (no longer dairy free) or with berries.
Notes
- The chocolate you have does not contain enough fat and does not become thicker.
- Melt the chocolate mixture again and add some more chocolate and whisk again.
- The chocolate mixture is not light enough
- Melt again and add some water and whisk again
- The chocolate mixture has become grainy
- Melt the mixture and whisk again. Do not add anything, just whisk a little shorter.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.